Integrated circuits are becoming smaller and smaller as time goes by, so many components must fit within limited space. One technique used to reduce the footprint of a capacitor is to form the capacitor plates vertically, relative to a substrate, so the capacitor plates occupy a smaller footprint on the substrate. The overall integrated circuit manufacturing process includes many steps that are performed in a predetermined sequence. Adding new steps into the process increases cost and complexity. The vertical space available without modifications or additions to an existing design and manufacturing process is limited to the existing design dimensions. Higher capacitance is desirable for many capacitors, such as capacitors in electrostatic discharge protection circuits, but increasing the vertical distance within the integrated circuit for taller capacitor plates increases costs. Larger capacitor plates increase the capacitance, but the desire to produce smaller integrated circuits, and the desire to limit the manufacturing process to existing process steps, limits the size of the vertical capacitor plates.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with vertical capacitors having increased capacitance compared to traditional vertical capacitors. In addition, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with vertical capacitors using manufacturing processes that are already within the process flow for producing an integrated circuit, and methods of producing the same. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.